Your report "Lights outshining the sky at night" (The Argus, February 1) misses the point in terms of energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
Most off-peak night-time electricity comes from nuclear power stations, which continue to generate a baseload of electricity 24 hours a day. This is for the simple reason that nuclear reactors take several days to cool down, and thus there is little point in switching them on and off, hence the cheapness of Economy 7 electricity overnight.
Whatever the disadvantages of nuclear power, it produces negligible carbon emissions. It would be far healthier for the environment to reduce electricity consumption at peak times, as this is when less efficient coal-burning power stations are brought into service.
However, this would have far greater implications for health and safety and lifestyle in urban areas such as Brighton, than rural areas in East Sussex where street lights are generally few and far between.
- Richard Madge, College Road Bexhill
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